Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-12-03
GRANT AND LEE.
pRELlMINARIEs OF THE MEETING AT
APPOMATTox COURT HOUSE.

pRELlMlNARIES OF THE MEETING AT
APPOMATTox COURT HOUSE.
Glen. Grant Almost Taken Prisoner-A
Greeting to Phil Sheridan-Gen. Lex
Under tho Apple Trce-Tho Meeting al
McLean's House.
Mounting his horse again, Gen. Grant rode
on at trot towards Appomattox court
house. When five or six miles from town
COL Ncwhall, Sheridnn's adjutant general
came riding up from tho direction Of Apo
mattox and handed the general communi
cation. This proved to be duplicate Of the
letter from Lee which Lieut. Pcasc had
brought in from Mcade's lines. Leo was SC
closely pressed That he was anxious to com
municate with Grant by the most direct
means, and Us he could not tell with which
column Grant was moving, he sent in one
copy of his letter on Meadcs front and one
On Sheridan's. Col Newhau joined our
party, and after @ few minutes halt to read
tho letter, we continued our ride towards
Appomattox. On tho march had asked the
general several times how he felt To the
Same question now he said: "The pain in
my head seemed to leave me the moment ]
got Lees letter.
Tho road was filled with men, animals and
wagons, and to avoid these and shorten the
distance, We turned slightly to tho right and
began to "cut across lots;" but before going
far we spied men conspicuous in gray, and it
was seen that we were moving towards the
enemy's left flank and that short ride
farther would tallo us into his lines. Itlooked
for a moment rs if very awkward condi-
lion of things might possibly arise, and
Grant become n prisoner in Lees lines in
stead of Leo in his Such q circumstance
would havo given rise to On important cross
entry in the system OF campaign boolikeep-
Ing. There was only one remedy-to retrace
our steps and strike tho right road, which
was done without serious discussion. About
| o'clock the little village OF Appomattox
Court House with its half dozen houses came
In sight, and soon VIC were entering its single
street 1t is situated on some rising ground,
and beyond the country slopes down into o
broad valley. The enemy was seen with his
columns and wagon trains covering the low
ground. Our cavalry, tho Fifth corps and
part Of Ord's command were occupying the
high ground to tho south and west of the
enemy, heading him or completely.
oREKTIss PHIL SHERIDAN.
Gems. Sheridan and Ord, with a group Of
officers around taenl, were seen IN the road,
and MS our party eame up, Gen Grant said:
Chow arc you, 6hcrida.m
ssFiTst rute, thank you, how are your
cried Sheridan, with q voice and look that
seemed to indicate that on his part he WIS
having things all his own way.
ISIS Lee over thercl" asked Con. Grant,
pointing up the street, having heard ru-
NOR that Leo was in that vicinity.
ayes, he is in TINT brick house." answered
Sheridan
s.Wcll, then, wo7l 20 over, said Grant
The general in chief now rode on, accom-
panied hy Sheridan, Ord and some others,
and soon Col Babcock's orderly waS seen sit
ting on his horse in tho street in front Of o
two story brick house, better in appearance
than the rest OF the houses He said Gen.
Lee aid Col Babcock had gone into this
house short time before, and no
was ordered to post himself in tho
street and keep a lookout for Gen.
Grant, so as to lot him know
where elon. Lee was. Babcock told mo after
ward that in carrying Gen. Grants last letter
he passed through tho enemy's lines and
found Gen. Lee little moro than half a milo
beyond Appomattox Court House. He was
lying down by the roadside on blanket,
which had been spread over few fcnce rails
on the ground under an apple tree, which was
part of all orchard. This circumstance fur
nished the only ground for tho widespread re-
port that the surrender occurred undor OH
apple tree Babcock dilnounted upon com
ing near, and as he approached on foot Leo
sat up, with his feet hanging over the roadside
The wheels OF the wagons in
passing along tho road had cut away the earth
of this c.nbanl1lncnt and left the roots OF .ie
trcc pro iccting. Lees feet were partly resting
on these roots. Ono of his staff officers came
forward, took the dispatch which Babcock
handed him and gave it to Gen. Lee. After
reading it the general rose and said ho would
rido forward on tho road on which Dabcock
had como, but was apprehensive that hostili-
ties might begin in the meantime upon the
termination of the temporary truce, and asked
Babcock to write line to Meade informing
him OF the situation. Babcock wrote accord
ingly, requesting Meade to maintain the
truce until positive orders from Gen Grant
could be received.
HUNTING HOUSE.
To save time it was arranged that Union